Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



c. EUTEBLROUK. BREECH-LOADIII-NGIFIRE-ARM.

Patent ed Feb. 20. 1 877,

CHARLES EUTEBROUK, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADING FlRE-A'RMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent NIL-187,462, dated February 20, 1877 application filed January 22, 1877.

, cheap, simple, durable, and convenient means for locking the'breech of the barrel in position, and unlocking the same, toallow thebreech to tilt upward for the insertion of the cartridge, and the retraction of the shell, as heretofore; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of the catch or bolt lever, with its spring inclosed within the lock in such a manner as to better protect its parts from injury by abrasion, or the liability to corrosion by moisture, as is the case when the springis placed outside, as heretofore.

Figure l is a side elevation, showing my invention attached to a breech-loader. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the fire-arm, showing my invention.

A represents the rear portion of the barrel, being hinged to the stock B, usual, and provided with a shell or cartridge retraotor, as heretofore. -D is the hammer, the piston being omitted, as it is of usual construction, and well known. E is the hammer or mainspring, connected with the hammer, as usual. F is the trigger, and G the trigger-spring; H, the trigger-plate, andI the trigger-guard, all constructed as usual. J represents the catch or bolt lever, secured in position by an arm, K, extending at a right angle to the lever J, and passing through the stock B in round hole drilled through the same, which forms bearings for the arm K. Near the center portion of the arm K is drilled'a hole to receive a screw, which connects a pin, L, which fits into the short slot 6 in the sliding bolt M. At the central portion of the arm K is provided a flat surface or sinkage, t, upon its under side, as shown in Fig. 2. A flat spring, N, secured at one end in a groove formed in the stock B, and between the trigger-plate H and the same, by a double-headed screw, P, which passes through both, plate and spring, and has a bearing upon each by means of its double head or shouldered head, the hole in the plate H being iormed larger, so as to receive the smaller shoulder of the head, which bears upon the spring N, so as to hold both firmly in place when screwed into the stock B, which causes the opposite end of the flat spring N to bear firmlyupon the flat surface or sinkage t upon the under side of the arm K. By this means the lever J ,is held in proper position to be depressed by the thumb of the operator when desired to unlock the breech for; the purpose of tilting the same, as shown in Fig. l, for the insertion or removal of cartridges. This can only be done when the hammer D is at half-cock, as the end of the sliding bolt M passes into a notch or groove, R, formed in the hammer for this purpose. This movement of the bolt M frees its opposite end from the hook or catch S upon the under side of the rear end of the barrel A. This catch is beveled or rounded off on its rear edge, so that when the barrel is pressed downward that portion of the catch comes in contact with the end of the bolt 1), and forces it back,'when the flat spring N, acting on the flat surface or sinkage ton the arm K, forces it forward to its former position, and locks the barrel, as shown. This portion of the arm K acts as a cam upon the end of the spring N when the lever J is depressed, as shown by the dotted lines; so when it is released the pressure of the spring N forces it back to its former position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

By this construction and arrangement of the lever J, arm K, and its spring N, the parts are so inclosed by the trigger-plate H within the diameter of the stock B that their abrasion or corrosion is entirely prevented. Being so incased removes a serious objection hereto fore existing in this class of breech-loading fire-arms.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- The combination of the arm K, provided with the lever J and the inclosed spring N, with the locking-bolt M, all being constructed and arranged to operate substantially in the manner described, and for the purposes set forth.

CHARLES EUTEBROUK.

Witnesses:

SYLVENUS WALKER, H. S. TALBOT- 

